Duo lead England fightback

England's new look batting order was an instant success in the final Test with a determined third wicket partnership preventing Australia making further inroads at the SCG.

Having swapped positions with Paul Collingwood to enable him to bat at number four, the pressure was on Kevin Pietersen to deliver after the tourists lost early wickets either side of lunch on the opening day.

But Pietersen immediately settled to the new position by teaming up with Warwickshire batsman Ian Bell and forging an unbroken 91-run stand to help England reach a respectable 149 for two at tea after winning the toss.

The tourists, desperate to avoid defeat and prevent Australia claiming an Ashes whitewash for the first time since 1920-21, suffered an early setback with seamer Matthew Hoggard being ruled out with a side strain.

Deprived of arguably their most dependable bowler - Hoggard has claimed 156 wickets at 28.76 runs apiece during his 140 consecutive Test appearances - the tourists could have folded after winning the toss and deciding to bat.

After slipping to 58 for two, however, Pietersen and Bell successfully combined in a cautious partnership and laid the foundations for England to at least make a competitive first innings total.

Openers Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook had enjoyed their most productive stand of the series of 45 runs to thwart Australia's hopes of making a buoyant start to the farewell Test for Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer.

Strauss was the more aggressive of the pair but could have fallen for 21 when he was dropped by Langer at third slip after he had edged McGrath, but he added just eight runs more before falling just three overs before lunch to Brett Lee's second ball of his second spell, attempting to cut a ball which was too full in length and instead edging behind.

Essex batsman Cook had been more watchful but lasted only two overs after lunch after edging seamer Stuart Clark behind off an inside edge.

Both Bell and Pietersen, accused of not being a team man by Australian coach John Buchanan earlier this week, seemed edgy during the early stages of their stand, but they grew in confidence and thwarted Warne's efforts to claim the wicket which would allow him to become the second cricketer in history to claim 1,000 international victims with Bell securing his fourth half-century of the series shortly before tea while Pietersen was unbeaten on 36.